Ann Arbor flooding submerges dozens of cars in garage

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (FOX 2) - Vehicles parked in a city garage in Ann Arbor were left submerged in floodwaters after a recent storm soaked Southeast Michigan in several inches of rain.

An extensive clean-up operation is now underway at the Palmer Commons garage on the central campus in Ann Arbor where maintenance crews could be seen pumping loads of water out of the lower levels of the structure.

University of Michigan police said about 30 cars are believed to be damaged by several feet of water.

"I just think there’s a lot of damage. Our cars are not built to sustain that kind of water," one onlooker said. "Nothing over about 6 to 8 inches so that’s very unfortunate. But the crazy amount of storm that’s come through here the last day or so."

Another woman said her husband got caught in a flash flood and needed to have his car towed because of the damage - and the water wasn't anywhere close to as deep.

"So, you think those cars are 100% totaled. So, there are 30 totaled cars there. Let’s say $50K a car, times 30 - that’s a lot of money," she said.

Part of the problem is the structure is without power. It's going to be a while before all the water is gone, police said. 

Fortunately, no injuries were reported.